NMRA 2001 National Trails Raceway - Ford Fun In The Buckeye State

Heads-up drag racing is always exhilarating to watch, especially when racers let it all hang out with front tires dangling in the air and the occasional crowd-pleasing rear-bumper scrapes that go well past the 60-foot marker! Personally, we can't get enough of fast cars or big wheelies. So when we heard that the National Mustang Racers Association (NMRA) could supply us with adrenaline-pumping race footage, we took a trip to Columbus, Ohio, to check out the third stop of the NMRA 2001 season at National Trails Raceway on the weekend of May 4. If you remember, we tried to see what all the hoopla was about last year in Phoenix, Arizona, but a freak storm left us in the middle of a horrendous downpour. This outing was much better-the sky was clear, cars were abundant, and the aroma of race gas put smiles on our faces.

Now entering its third year of competition, the National Mustang Racers Association, as its name implies, is dominated by but not limited to, Mustangs. All Ford enthusiasts are welcome to compete for the $3.6 million in contingency funds up for grabs. From entry-level stock classes to the wild action of low 7-second Pro cars, there's something for drag racers at every level of the sport. If your Ford doesn't fall into any heads-up classes, the NMRA also offers bracket-style classes, including Open Comp, Modular Motor, and a Truck & Lightning class. If the NMRA swings by your area, be sure to check them out. And if you happen to find yourself in the winner's circle, we won't complain if you decide to share some of your winnings by ordering Car Craft subscriptions for all your friends.

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Here's just a glimpse of a few racers that make the NMRA interesting. For more information regarding class specifications or a list of upcoming events, get on the Web and head over to www.nmraracing.com.

Super Street OutlawOne of the wildest heads-up classes anywhere, these 1,700-plus horsepower brutes are limited to a true 10.5-inch tire and a single power adder. Tons of power and not enough rubber results in some of the most dramatic and breathtaking journeys down the quarter-mile. How fast? Try high 7s at over 180 mph!

Comments: Mike Murillo, a true veteran of the sport and owner of Murillo Motorsports, started out working from his garage. Becoming the first local street guy to hit the 10s led to a booming business and one bitchin' rolling advertisement. The five-time Outlaw champion thanks his crew chief, Rusty Grunwald, and his sponsors-Texas Race Rider, The Hot Rod Store, and Trans King.

EFI RenegadeIf you think fuel-injected cars can't make big horsepower then you're in for a shock. These EFI ponies can crank out low 9-second e.t.'s and don't shudder at the thought of hitting an occasional cruise night. Class rules mandate nothing larger than 360 ci with a single power adder.

Comments: Bob has a thank-you list longer than a 10-year-old's Christmas wish list. He insists he's just an average guy with a full-time job, and that he couldn't race as much as he does without the help of Total Engine Airflow, March Performance Pulleys, Borla, Paxton, TFS, Auto Meter, Dynamic Trans, Fast Track Performance, DSS, and Streetstuff.

Hot StreetFor those of you into naturally aspirated, big-horsepower small-blocks, Hot Street is a one-way ticket to fun. Hot Street allows both carbureted and fuel-injected engines ranging from 311 to 440 ci and weighing 2,750 to 3,200 pounds (depending on the cubic inches) along with aftermarket cylinder heads. Get ready for some serious 9-second cars.

Comments: Not one to go unnoticed, Billy did the incredible paint and bodywork himself. And if you remember July's "Coming Next Month," this is the car you see dragging its bumper well past the tree. Between those two things, we think it's kind of hard not to notice him. Billy thanks Lucky Race Cars, Chris Beningo, Pete Bilharz, his boss Dominick, and his crew chief's girlfriend Mary for all the lunch and dinner banquets.

Real StreetNew to the NMRA, Real Street is intended for the lightly modified street car with a single power adder-either nitrous or a blower-and a 311ci displacement limit. And in the short three races the class has debuted, the top cars have already broken into the 10s with mail-order parts. While its not unheard of to see daily driven cars hitting the 11s with heavily modified heads, wild camshafts, and air conditioning, these cars must run non-ported cylinder heads, a stock cam, and a power adder that's marketed as a street kit. Impressive, isn't it?

Comments: No we're not featuring Billy Laskowski's killer Hot Street ride twice. We heard Billy's crew chief had a car in the works, and we could have sworn we were seeing double. Heck, might as well call it "Mini-Me!" Driver Ed says it best: "We're the first Real Street car in the 10s with a monkey driving it! Wait until I learn how to shift." (As if that'll ever happen!) Ed swears they built this Real Street brute with his entry-level starter tool kit. Sure, Ed. They thank Dominick's Autobody, Trick Flow Systems, Jimmy LaRocca, Billy, and his girlfriend Mary.

Factory StockTake a stock car, install an aftermarket exhaust and a larger throttle-bod. Put a set of lower-ratio gears in the rear axle and slap on a set of BFG Drag Radials and you too can have a competitive "race car" at an affordable price. But be prepared to tune it and learn how to drive, because as stock as they are, they run mid 12s at over 110 mph, naturally aspirated with no more than 311 cubes.

Comments: This is Bob's daily commuter, and even with the steep 4.56:1 gears, the revs only read 2,800 at 70 mph. And since he knew that the stock IRS suspension was never intended for drag-racing duty, he swapped it out in exchange for a live axle 8.8 out of a friend's '99 GT. Take a close look at the tires-they may look bald, but boy do they hook!

Pure StreetIntended as a naturally aspirated street-driven class, Pure Street cars are limited to 311 ci with 302s and 289 ci with 4.6 modular motors. Camshafts must meet strict 0.500-inch maximum-lift requirements with no larger than 26x10-inch slicks, but the heads, intake, and suspension can be heavily leaned on. The results are astounding, as cars have reached low 11-second e.t.'s at over 120 mph! We've seen it and it's still hard to believe.

Comments: Gene's been racing Fords as long as he can remember. Actually it started the first day he got to drive his mom's '88 LX (the one shown here). We've never seen Volvo Copper paint fogged onto anything other than a Volvo, but when people see this, we're sure it'll become more popular. Gene thanks Extreme Mustangs, C&L, and most of all his girlfriend who can often be seen swapping out the slicks, cooling off the car, and staging Gene onto the starting line. Now that's a keeper!

Drag RadialJust about anything goes here as long as it utilizes a stock-style suspension, DOT radials, and a single power adder. This class proves that horsepower alone cannot put you in the winner's circle. Competitors are not allowed to use slicks, and must compete on Drag Radials. This requires more driving skill than simply dumping the clutch or releasing the transbrake.

Comments: By far the biggest name in the Drag Radial wars, Big Daddy has been pushing for this class since the early '90s. His years of experience have produced eye-opening results at both the beginning and end of the quarter-mile. This subtle coupe has not only been on the bumper with all four tires off the ground, it's still registered, insured, and hits the streets on a regular basis. If there's one thing we love most about this class, it's the fact that all the horsepower in the world will not guarantee a win-it's all about the drivers. We just wonder when he'll hit 8s! Now that is sick.